Palladium Books® Weekly Update - March 31, 2017

By Kevin Siembieda

Palladium Books has been quiet these past few years, with fewer and fewer releases even for Rifts®. There have been a number of reasons for that, but they don’t really matter now. What does matter is that it is about to change, big time, as Palladium works to reinfuse the “wow factor” into Rifts® and all our game worlds. And that’s in addition to licensed product lines from an increasing number of third parties (see details below).

Rifts® is just the start. You will be seeing sourcebooks and products for Robotech®/Robotech® RPG Tactics™, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Dead Reign® (zombie apocalypse), and Nightbane® in 2017, followed by new, game line invigorating products for Heroes Unlimited™, Splicers®, Beyond the Supernatural™ and others.

New Spring Sale: Heroes and Horror, see details below. Also read about our fun AdeptiCon, and plenty of other news and updates. Enjoy.

Many new Palladium releases are coming for Rifts®

Four Rifts® titles from Palladium Books are in final production (art, editing, etc.):

Plus a few works in progress that may be slotted into the spring and summer release schedule. Five more Rifts® titles are being developed for fourth quarter and 2018 release! Note: Many of these Rifts® titles are setting the stage for something absolutely huge for the Rifts® game line. Something yet to be revealed.

Licensed Rifts® products expand the Rifts® Megaverse®

Palladium has been busy behind the scenes working to expand the Rifts® game line with licensed properties.

Available right now is Rifts® for Savage Worlds from Pinnacle Entertainment – an ADDITIONAL RPG game line designed specifically for players and fans of the Savage Worlds game system. Please Note: Rifts® Savage Worlds does NOT replace Palladium Books’ own expanding Rifts® product lines. As you can see above, Palladium has big plans of its own for the Rifts® RPG line. Bigger than you know.

Coming soon, the Rifts® Board Game from Rogue Heroes Publishing. The Rifts® Board Game has been under development for more than two years by longtime Palladium freelance writer/game designer, Carmen Bellaire. So while Rogue Heroes Publishing may be a start-up company, it has a Rifts® pedigree. Carmen Bellaire is the writer of such notable Rifts® titles as Rifts® Black Market, Naruni™ Wave Two, Rifts® Merc Ops™, and Rifts® Mercenary Adventures, and has contributed to many other Rifts® books, as well as authored the ever-popular Powers Unlimited® sourcebook series and the Splicers® RPG, among others. Carmen has also been designing games for Upper Deck.

The Rifts® Board Game brings the look of Rifts® to life with exquisitely sculpted and detailed miniatures of your favorite iconic Rifts® characters by top sculptors. The rules capture the RPG setting, wide range of powers and fun. Typical playing time is 90 minutes and it is a blast. A stand-alone board game, ideal for ages 14+. And of course, Palladium Books has final approvals on all aspects of the game so we can assure you the quality is spectacular. That’s Rogue Heroes’ doing as they are uber-Rifts® fans.

Carmen will be launching his Rifts® Board Game via Kickstarter at the end of April/May 2017 by Rogue Heroes Publishing. This is the best way for Carmen to raise the funds to manufacture the quality game and expansion packs he envisions and we all want to see for Rifts®. Carmen has already invested a small fortune of his own money into this game, and the Kickstarter is the final step to send it into manufacturing and to launch both the Rifts® Board Game and his company.

We hope you support the Rifts® Board Game Kickstarter and spread the word about it far and wide. A highly successful Kickstarter will enable Carmen Bellaire to launch his game company and devote all of his time to creating games. That means many additional Rifts® miniature expansion packs and games produced under license by Rogue Heroes. Carmen and his team have big dreams for this game line that have blown our minds. The more exciting Rifts® miniatures and game products, the more fun for everyone. PLEASE spread the word about the coming Kickstarter launch end of April through May, 2017.

Palladium and its agents at Surge Licensing continue to court other licensing partners to expand our intellectual properties into other areas of gaming as well as new markets entirely, including videogames, film and television. We are currently talking with a videogame company about developing a Phase World® game and have ongoing interest from more than one film producer interested in possibly developing as many as four Palladium I.P.s for film or television. And the Rifts® movie option by the Walt Disney company for development by Jerry Bruckheimer Films is also still active. Fingers crossed!

UPDATE: Robotech® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™

Our big focus in 2017 is on Robotech® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (RRT). We have several Robotech® RPG products in development and are working hard to relaunch RRT by the end of 2017 and carry the game line on into 2018. Yes, that means Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave 2 and much more. We will keep you posted as product releases firm up.

We are working to put together some big things for the relaunch of this game line. You will be seeing campaign books, build and paint programs, tournaments, Robotech® sourcebooks, and more. Followed by the long awaited Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave Two. As noted previously, Harmony Gold approved our proposal and art concepts for the first RRT Scenario Book, and we are already working on the second, as well as small skirmish battles and our plans for the Robotech® RPG Ghost Fleet Saga™ series. The latter is being designed to create new RRT factions and a new location and time period to game in. It incorporates Shadow Technology and UEEF covert operations against the Regent, Invid, Inorganics, space pirates and renegade Zentraedi. This is a book we have been developing over the last year.

In the meanwhile, Palladium has plenty of existing Robotech® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave One products available, and we will be releasing new products, incentives, events and media in preparation for the RRT Wave Two relaunch that should create renewed and growing interest in Robotech® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™. We are finding oodles of Robotech fans who are just discovering Palladium’s Robotech® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™ game lines for the first time.

UPDATE AdeptiCon

Palladium saw a lot of interest and excitement for Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and all things Robotech®. Of the two towers of RRT starter boxes we came with, only one game was left unsold! We also sold out of some of the expansion packs and convention exclusives. We will definitely bring more product next year. Gamers seemed to especially enjoy the nearly non-stop RRT demos at the Palladium booth run by Dan Rains, one of Palladium’s newest Megaversal Ambassadors and the gent who created the dynamic new demo board. Jeff Ruiz also ran demos, and people really liked what they saw in the Robotech® display case.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ enthusiasts were very excited and pleased to hear that for the first time, official Palladium sponsored Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournaments will be held at Gen Con 2017. Dan Rains will be running two 200 point tournaments and one 300 point tournament with prizes going to first, second and third place for all three events, and a Best Paint Prize awarded in the 300 point tournament only. There will be other Robotech® RPG Tactics™ games and events run by Thomas Roache, Peter Pidrak, and others. That news made several war gamers say they would have to sharpen up their squadron skills before Gen Con. Just the beginning of the many plans we have for Robotech® RPG Tactics™ in the months ahead as we build toward the relaunch of the RRT game line and release of RRT Wave Two.

There was also an extreme amount of excitement for the Rifts® Board Game launching as a Kickstarter in April/May, 2017, by Rogue Heroes Publishing, under license from Palladium Books. Robotech® and Rifts® were the two hot properties at the event, but we sold a surprising amount of everything, including RPG books.

Wayne and the Palladium crew had a great time. They were happy to answer questions at the table and sell product as they built Robotech® game pieces for their own RRT armies. We look forward to next year.

New Spring Sale! Heroes and Horror Online Game Sale – One week only – March 31 to April 6, 2017

All of these role-playing games and available sourcebooks are part of Palladium’s new one week sale. A great way to try new settings, get caught up on books or purchase gifts for upcoming birthdays and special occasions.

Dead Reign® RPG & Sourcebooks – destroy some zombies and rescue the living. The recent Hell Followed sourcebook pushes the zombie genre and takes characters and adventure into new ground.

Nightbane® RPG & Sourcebooks – superhero horror, dark conspiracy and a secret between the Nightlands invaders and the Nightbane and other heroes. (Sale does not include the Dark Designs™ Raw Preview Edition.)

Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG – the supernatural world we all choose to ignore until it finds us.

Splicers® RPG – war against the machine using living power armor and bio-engineered weapons.

The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy – a nightmare scenario as mechanized aliens arrive to rape, tear apart and devour your colony world. Is it the end of days or can you save your world? And if not, is there a survival alternative?

This limited edition advance preview arrived from the printer Thursday and has shipped to the multitude of you who have already placed orders. I was surprised by the fast, strong sales for this item. Awesome. Keep the sales coming. Remember, this is a limited edition preview; only 150 copies printed. A sourcebook that focuses on the Nightbane, their appearance and powers. Hot, because it is a great resource.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #77 – available now

The Rifter® #77 is a great issue that includes a Palladium Fantasy® city written by Ian Herbert, my Doc Feral update for Heroes Unlimited™, a Rifts® TW city, the conclusion to the sprawling Splicers® adventure, and more. All immediately usable and fun source material. And don’t forget about The Rifter® #76 and #75, with more than half of each being “official” source material. Remember, source material can be adapted to almost any game setting.

UPDATE: Rifts® CS Arsenal – coming soon

I’ve done more writing. Charles Walton has done more art. This book is gonna be something else.

UPDATE: Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™ – May release

I did more editing and writing tweaks on this book and need to assign the last of the art. See the description elsewhere in this Update.

UPDATE: Rifts® Sovietski™ – Spring or summer release

Artwork keeps come in for Sovietski and is looking good. See the description elsewhere in this Update.

UPDATE: Garden of the Gods™ – a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – May or June release

Garden of the Gods™ is just one of many titles in final development for Palladium Fantasy®: Lopan™ Adventure Sourcebook, Lopanic Games™ Sourcebook and Land of the South Winds™, among other things. See the description elsewhere in this Update.

UPDATE: Dead Reign® Sourcebook: In the Face of Death

Oh baby, another book that pushes the boundaries of the zombie apocalypse genre and is loaded with adventure and challenges. Art by Nick Bradshaw. Cover by E.M. Gist. See the description elsewhere in this Update.

Now on DriveThruRPG.com – The Rifter® #70, Rifts® Shemarrian Nation Sourcebook, Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook, ALL Robotech® RPG Tactics™ cards and much more

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave 2 Paper Game Pieces, and all RRT game cards,Rifts® Ultimate Edition and 160+ other PDF Palladium titles, RRT stuff, G.M. helper kits and free material are on DriveThruRPG.com right now! More Rifts®, Robotech® and other Palladium game titles, paper miniatures and fun are coming to PDF in the weeks and months ahead. Watch for them.

In addition to the titles listed above, The Minion War™ series of books, the Rifts® Coalition Wars®/Tolkeen series, Chaos Earth® Resurrection, all of the Dead Reign® (Zombie Apocalypse) titles, Splicers® RPG and most issues of The Rifter® are available NOW! So are first edition rules of the Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and sourcebooks, Palladium Fantasy RPG® and sourcebooks, The Mechanoids®, and much more, available on DriveThruRPG.com.

Alex and I have added and continue to add a lot of vintage Star Wars toys and a growing number of all kinds of collectibles – and we’ll be adding more Palladium Books original art and items to the store, so keep an eye out for them.

This includes one-of-a-kind original artwork, prints, Rifts® and Robotech® artwork by Kevin Long, me and others. There is also a range of limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers, toys and more that are all being added to my ebay store over the next several weeks, so keep an eye out. Alex and I will keep adding items as our busy schedules allow, but we have a lot of fun collectibles available now and coming soon. Items include original art, out of print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Lemuria, Northern Gun™ One, Northern Gun™ Two, Megaverse® in Flames™, Beyond the Supernatural™ Gold, Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Gold and Rifts® Ultimate Gold) and other items available. There are also hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal archives and collection. Take a look every weekend for new items added.

Be part of an epic RRT demo even if it is only for a 30 minute segment. A great way to give Robotech® RPG Tactics™ a try if you live in the area.

The situation is desperate when the Zentraedi warships first appear in Earth orbit. The United Earth Defense Force has only a single space battleship, the Super Dimensional Fortress Macross (SDF-1) and its specialized mecha crew, capable of engaging the invaders. The rebuilt SDF-1 once belonged to the Robotech Masters, and they want it back. Or else! What better way to fight giant space aliens than to use transforming Veritech jet fighters and walking tanks known as Destroids?!

In this game scenario, wave after wave of Zentraedi Battlepods and Power Armor crash against the squadrons of Valkyries, Destroids, and even a Mk.II Monster cannon that valiantly battle to defend the SDF-1 and the 80,000 citizens of Macross City nestled inside.

Players choose a squad of painted miniatures from the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ game and will put their team to work against the enemy swarm. Pick the United Earth Defense Force or the Zentraedi, or give both a try! No experience is necessary.

The game is designed to demonstrate the fun and well thought out Robotech® RPG Tactics™ game. This is your chance to fire a legendary Macross Missile Massacre attack! Note: Players need not be present for the whole 4 hour time slot, and can play for just a 30 minute skirmish, but please register for the game even if you only plan to give it a try for 30 minutes.

GEN CON – Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournaments, many gaming events, and a host of Rifts® and other game products

If you want to run a Palladium gaming event please let us know and we will slot you in. Please be advised that your game event will not get into the Gen Con program book at this point, but should be listed in the online schedule. Any Megaversal Ambassador can help you, but NMI is the primary Gen Con event coordinator.

If you are coming to Gen Con, please make the Palladium Books booth one of your stops. We will have plenty of new RPG products, a large backstock selection, convention exclusives, Robotech® RPG Tactics™ demos and fun. As always, the Palladium staff and freelancers are happy to chat, share the latest news, and sign your books. So please join the fun.

UPDATE: Rifts® Board Game from Rogue Heroes™ – Kickstarter to launch end of April and run through May, 2017

Wayne and I sent Carmen our input on the digital sculpt for the Coalition Skelebot last night. It is looking great. We also approved more art and cards. Other than a killer head cold, Carmen Bellaire is sounding positive and excited about his Rifts® Board Game. He is still working toward an end of April-May Kickstarter, so please start spreading the word. Rifts® fans, old, current and new, are going to want this fast, fun skirmish game and the dynamic miniatures that come with it.

A productive week

We have accomplished a lot this week. Wayne and Chuck came back from AdeptiCon burning with excitement about Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and for Carmen’s Rifts® Board Game. The fan response to both was pure excitement. They also came back with con crud and were feeling rundown and under the weather, but still plugging away.

All of us have been working to get products into your hands. That includes many upcoming books, more PDF titles made available from DriveThruRPG (you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what’s coming in a few weeks) and, well, all kinds of things.

As for myself, I have spent most of the last seven days putting in long hours of writing on a few different Rifts® projects as well as overseeing projects and providing feedback and approvals for Carmen’s Rifts® Board Game. Things are getting done. Writing has been coming slower than I would like, but what has been done is rock solid and I really impressed Alex, one of my editors, with a few pieces. I’m hammering away and some truly awesome books are coming soon.

Take advantage of that new sale (not sure how many more we’ll be doing), pick up a copy of the Raw Advance Preview of Dark Designs, and enjoy the weekend.

The Raw Preview Edition of Nightbane® Dark Designs™ is an advance copy of the unedited, unillustrated, final working manuscript for this exciting new sourcebook. You get to see the unfinished book months before the final title is released. A rare look at the raw manuscript before publication. Limited to a total of 150 copies, sold on a first come, first served basis.

Nightbane® Dark Designs™ is a guide to creating the Nightbane®, and a sourcebook for players and Game Masters alike. It presents all sorts of new Nightbane creation tables, new Morphus tables, new Talents, and new information. Info and powers that enable players to make memorable Nightbane characters and for G.M.s to take their games up a notch.

Note: The finished Nightbane® Dark Designs™ sourcebook is anticipated to ship in June or July of 2017. But you can start playing right now with this meaty special edition! All Nightbane fans are going to love this sourcebook that focuses on the Nightbane.

New! The Rifter® #78 – Ships End of April or May, 2017

The Rifter® #78 is already in production. Articles are being selected and artwork is being assigned.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready-to-go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and usually 2-3 other Palladium game lines. The focus of this issue is Rifts®, Splicers® and RPG advice. Don’t forget, unofficial material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

Rifter® #78 Highlights:

Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Part Two of a city adventure setting and source material by Ian Herbert.

Splicers® – The Aftermath of I am Legion, by Charles Walton II, Chris Kluge and Lance Colley – “official” source material. Ideas and source material on where to go from here, possible adventure hooks and more.

Other – source material for other RPG settings.

News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more.

96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 178. In production. Ships end of April or early May, 2017.

The Rifter® #77 – available now

Adventure, madness, strange creatures and strange lands fill this issue of The Rifter®. This issue is a playground for heroes and a source of adventure, but beware the danger that lurks in the shadows.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the source material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

Rifter® #77 Highlights:

Rifts® – City of Nowhere – an adventure setting – by Brett Caron. Capitalism, magic and dark secrets build an enchanted city with a dark underbelly that may not hold.

Palladium Fantasy RPG® – the city of Khemennu adventure setting by Ian Herbert. A holy city dedicated the Church of Light and Dark, and resting place of the legendary Sun Disc. A place of intrigue, magic and adventure.

Splicers® – I am Legion, Part Six – by Charles Walton II, Chris Kluge and Lance Colley – “official” source material. This is it! The final battle against Legion! The Legion personality and her Black Shroud armor statted and described. Secrets and dangers revealed about the Factory Walker and more. Even in victory, the world may never be the same.

Note: The Rifter® #76 and #75 are also available and packed with official source material for Rifts® and other game settings.

NEW! Garden of the Gods™ – A Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook

This has been a secret project of Kevin Siembieda’s that he has been plotting and writing in what little spare time he has. The Garden of the Gods is said to be a holy place watched over and even frequented by the avatars of the gods. According to legend, the god may visit heroes and followers in dreams or in person by an avatar of the god, to be given guidance, inspiration, heroic quests, and gifts of knowledge and magic. More details about this title will follow.

The Garden of the Gods described in detail.

Godly insight and visitations.

Gifts of magic and knowledge.

Sanctuary and more.

The Black Pit, a place of evil and dark secrets. Is it a counterbalance to the good of the Garden, or a trick of the Old Ones?

Written by Kevin Siembieda.

Final page count and price yet to be determined, but probably 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 475. Tentatively a May or June release.

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™

This book is going to be a hugely popular and is shaping up wonderfully.

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

True Atlanteans revisited.

Optional Atlantean character creation tables including clan heritage and other factors.

Final page count and price yet to be determined, but probably 192 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 890. In final production, a May release. Super-Hot!

Rifts® The Disavowed – A Secrets of the Coalition States™ Sourcebook

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team.

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

CS operatives so secret that even the top military and political leaders right up to Emperor Prosek know nothing about them. And if they did know, would they condone their activity or condemn it?

Are the Disavowed heroes or renegades? Assassins or soldiers? Madmen or super-patriots? Or a little of them all?

Unsung heroes who keep the CS safe, or thugs and pawns of a shadow agency within the Coalition government?

What role does the Vanguard play in this group?

How do they reward their D-Bee “teammates” when the mission is over?

What happens to the Disavowed when they have seen or learned too much? Adventure ideas galore and so much more.

New! Rifts® Sovietski™

The Rifts® Sovietski™ World Book presents background information on the fledgling Sovietski nation, notable cities and people, politics, and its growing army, plus Deadzones, Spetsnaz Special Forces, new bionics, Russian D-Bees, and more.

New! In the Face of Death™ – Summer/Fall – A Dead Reign® Sourcebook

This sourcebook is all about inner city survival. Survivor colonies finding ways to live and prosper in the big city. Conventional wisdom says that living in the big population centers is impossible. These survivors prove otherwise.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™

Robotech® is getting hotter and hotter. It is the Number One Anime on Crackle, the Robotech® movie from Sony Pictures sounds like it is going to be become a reality, more Robotech® licensed products are appearing, and Palladium is gearing up toward the release of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave Two and more Robotech® products. Ah, but the core game and expansion packs to get you started are available right now.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces. Get yours now.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Convention Exclusives – now available to anyone

These dynamic pieces are available as a regular item in the Palladium store. They are powerful fun and only have 4-6 parts, so they are easy to put together. They look awesome on your shelf or in your game. Get yours while supplies last.